Today's Paper
» NATIONAL
» KERALA

Ayurveda doctors seek crackdown on quacks

Minimum wages for Ayurveda doctors sought

The State Council of the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) which met here on Sunday has opposed unauthorised medical practice in the State. It also voiced its stance against granting recognition to ‘self-proclaimed Ayurveda doctors’, who did not possess the approved qualifications and practised on the basis of claims of being traditional practitioners of the branch of medicine.

Delivering the presidential address at the 34th annual meet of the council, AMAI president G. Vinod Kumar urged the State government to adopt stringent measures to prevent medical practice without authorisation.

He also called for efforts to counter the threat of fraudulent practices by quacks in the State.

Minimum wages sought

Dr. Kumar also put forth the demand to ensure reasonable minimum wages for Ayurveda doctors employed in the private sector and also called for service benefits for Ayurveda doctors on a par with those in other branches of medicine.

The association also demanded an immediate increase in the number of post-graduate seats in Ayurveda colleges.

Inaugurating the meeting, Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan noted that the Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) has not been utilised to its maximum potential. Undeniably, the other branches of medicine have overtaken Ayurveda in terms of popularity and acceptance. However, in recent times, there has been a considerable change in the outlook of the public.

The importance of traditional forms of treatment was on an increase, he said.

He added that the proposal for instituting a new department in the State on the lines of the Department of Ayush of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was justifiable.

Journal released

Noted poet Ezhacheri Ramachandran released the new English journal ‘TREATISE’ released by the association. Mr. Radhakrishnan launched a CD on ‘Panchakarma’ compiled by Dhathri Ayurveda Private Limited and handed the first copy to T. Sivadas, Director of Ayurvedic Medical Education.

The AMAI Media Award 2012 was presented to film-maker Aashiq Abu for ‘conveying a strong message against fraudulent practice of Ayurveda’ through his film ‘Da Thadiya’.